Montague Notebook

TURNERS FALLS — The second phase of the two-year Unity Park improvement project is nearly complete and the park should be almost fully operational sometime next week, according to project manager Bruce Hunter.

The ball fields are the exception. They have been re-surfaced and Hunter said the grass turf will not be usable until spring ... at the earliest.

New firefighter sworn in

TURNERS FALLS — Luke Hartnett, formerly of Erving, is the latest addition to the Turners Falls Fire Department roster, sworn in Tuesday evening at the station.

Hartnett was an Erving fire captain and that town’s emergency management director and response coordinator until he moved to Montague last fall.

Turners Falls Fire Chief Robert Escott Jr. said Hartnett has served on the call force since moving to town and now joins a full-time team of eight. Hartnett will replace a firefighter set to retire in December.

Hartnett begins a nine-week recruit training program at the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy this month, then begins his career as a probationary firefighter for 18 months.

Time to re-file for land classification

MONTAGUE — Owners of land classified under Massachusetts General Laws chapters 61 A or 61B, agricultural, horticultural or recreational land, must file their annual application for continued classification by Oct. 1. Forms are available from the Board of Assessors office, upstairs in the Town Hall at 1 Avenue A, or online at the assessors’ page of the town website, montague-ma.gov.

The town hall is open 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday and is closed Friday.

The office can be reached by phone at 413-863-3200 ext. 204.

Flu clinic schedule

MONTAGUE — The Board of Health has announced its fall flu clinic schedule. Clinics are open to all residents older than 6 months.

“Flu vaccine is the best protection we have from the flu and its complications,” wrote Public Health Nurse Carolyn Merriam. “Getting your flu shot also helps to prevent spreading flu from person to person.”

There is no fee, but the Montague Board of Health encourages participants to bring their health insurance cards to the clinics and donations are accepted.